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Hill, Kubel, Bloomquist hurt in nightcap

3/26/13: Willie Bloomquist exits the D-backs' game against the Angels after fouling a ball off in the bottom of the third inning

By Steve Gilbert
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MLB.com |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tuesday night's 7-1 victory over the Angels may have been a big loss for the D-backs.

First, second baseman Aaron Hill was hit on the left little finger with a Jered Weaver pitch in the first inning. Then outfielder Jason Kubel rolled his left ankle a bit coming out of the batter's box in the second, and finally, shortstop Willie Bloomquist strained his right oblique muscle while swinging at a pitch in the third.

In fact, Hill passed all the tests the training staff put him through, and they did not even think it was necessary to take X-rays.

"Just started turning a little purple so we got him out of there so I could let his teammates rag on him a little bit," Gibson said.

The severity of Kubel's injury remains to be seen. While he told reporters he wasn't sure it was a big deal, he's also been battling a left knee issue that was aggravated a few days ago when he ran into the wall chasing a fly ball.

Kubel has been in a slump for much of the spring, and if he has to take some time off, that might not be the worst thing for him.

"I think he's day to day right now," Gibson said. "We'll deal with it, and we'll see how he is tomorrow. Maybe it will be a good thing for him. He's been grinding it pretty hard. He's taken probably more swings than anybody in camp."

The news was probably the worst on Bloomquist.

"Just felt something on the followthrough of that one swing," Bloomquist said. "Thought it would be smarter to shut it down instead of trying to finish an at-bat and make it worse."

Bloomquist said that a number of years ago he felt something similar with his left oblique and tried to finish the at-bat. The result was that he tore the muscle and was out for a month.

"The good thing is I don't think I felt a pop," Bloomquist said. "It did grab on me pretty good."

Bloomquist will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday, but he did not sound optimistic about being ready for Opening Day.

"I definitely did something, a little bit, I don't know how bad," he said. "We'll figure out tomorrow how bad it is and make a game plan, and hopefully it's not too long."

The D-backs are already likely to start the season with two outfielders on the disabled list in Adam Eaton and Cody Ross. If Kubel is not ready, that would open the door for both Tony Campana and Alfredo Marte to make the team. As it stands right now, one of the two is expected to be on the Opening Day roster.

If Bloomquist starts the year on the DL, the team could keep veteran utility man Josh Wilson, who can play all four infield positions as well as the corners in the outfield.

Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.